Deep Groove Encyclopedia

George Duke

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Another musician capable of working in a variety of genres, George Duke originally played with Cannonball Adderley before a stint with Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. Following some experimental records on MPS, he followed in the steps of fellow keyboardist Patrice Rushen and adopted a commercial approach starting in 1977. "Reach For It" reached number two as a single and established him as an r&b star. Other popular cuts include the heavily Bootsy-influenced "Dukey Stick" and the sweet "I Want You For Myself," featuring Lynn Davis on vocals. During this time, he also formed a brief partnership with Billy Cobham, most notable for the groover "Do What You Wanna." Duke continued his brand of fusion in his projects with Stanley Clarke and branched into production in the 80s. Still active, Duke continues to be in demand as a producer and session player, while maintaining his own recording career.

George Duke maintains his own site, www.georgeduke.com, where you can read all about his current activities.

George Duke's Deepest Grooves

Reach for It (Epic, 1977)

Don't Let Go (Epic, 1978)

Brazilian Love Affair (Epic, 1979)

Follow The Rainbow (Epic, 1979)

Master of the Game (Epic, 1979)

Stanley Clarke/George Duke Project (Epic, 1980s)

Greatest Hits (Legacy, 1996)

After Hours (Warner Brothers, 1998)

Cool (Warner Brothers, 2000)